Greeting card construction and methods of making and using same

Abstract

A sheet construction has side-by-side first and second panels separated from one another by a fold line. In a single pass through a printer or copier normal-orientation (first) indicia is printed on the first panel and reverse-orientation (second) indicia is printed on the second panel on the same (first) face of the sheet construction as the normal-orientation indicia. The second panel, but not the first panel, has a backlit film construction such that the reverse-orientation indicia shows through the second panel clearly as normal-orientation (second) indicia on the opposite (second) face. The sheet construction is then folded on the fold line to form a printed half-fold card. Thereby, the first face of the second panel (which has the normal-orientation (second) indicia) defines the front cover of the printed card and the second face of the first panel (which has the normal-orientation (first) indicia) defines the inside of the printed card.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A printable card construction, comprising: 
       a sheet construction including a first panel, a second panel and a fold line between the panels;  
       the sheet construction having a first face and an opposite second face;  
       the first panel being printable with normal-orientation indicia on the first face; and  
       the second panel being printable on the first face with reverse-printed indicia that is visible in a print normal orientation on the second face.  
     
     
       2. The construction of claim  1  wherein the first panel is printable with the normal orientation indicia and the second panel is printable with the reverse-printed indicia in the same single pass through a printer or copier. 
     
     
       3. The construction of claim  1  wherein the fold line is a score line. 
     
     
       4. The construction of claim  1  wherein the fold line is a perforation line. 
     
     
       5. The construction of claim  1  wherein the fold line is defined by a gap between the first and second panels on the first side. 
     
     
       6. The construction of claim  1  wherein the sheet construction includes a backlit film base for the first and second panels and a direct printable sheet attached to the backlit film base at the first panel. 
     
     
       7. The construction of claim  6  wherein the sheet is attached to the base with adhesive. 
     
     
       8. The construction of claim  6  wherein the backlit film base includes a transparent film and a coating on the transparent film, the coating allowing ink printed thereon to be absorbed and to migrate to an interface of the coating with the transparent film such that the printed ink is visible from a side of the transparent film opposite to the interface. 
     
     
       9. The construction of claim  1  wherein the sheet construction includes a transparent base film, the first panel includes an opaque imageable film on the base film, and the second panel includes a backlit coating on the base film. 
     
     
       10. The construction of claim  9  wherein the opaque imageable film and the backlit coating are extrusion coated on the base film. 
     
     
       11. The construction of claim  9  wherein the fold line is defined by a gap between the opaque imageable film and the backlit coating. 
     
     
       12. The construction of claim  1  wherein the sheet construction is folded on the fold line such that the second face of the second panel defines a card outside front surface and the first face of the first panel defines a card inside front surface. 
     
     
       13. The construction of claim  1  further comprising an opaque panel positionable on the first face of the second panel in a cover position over the reverse-printed indicia. 
     
     
       14. The construction of claim  13  further comprising a frame attached to the sheet construction and having a slot to receive the opaque panel into the cover position. 
     
     
       15. The construction of claim  14  wherein the sheet construction includes a base transparent film, the first panel includes a facing sheet attached to the base transparent film, the second panel includes a backlit coating on the base transparent film, and the frame is attached on the backlit coating. 
     
     
       16. The construction of claim  15  wherein the facing sheet and the frame define a continuous sheet and are separated from one another by the fold line. 
     
     
       17. The construction of claim  16  wherein the fold line is a score line. 
     
     
       18. The construction of claim  16  wherein the continuous sheet is laminated to the base transparent film. 
     
     
       19. The construction of claim  13  wherein the opaque panel has indicia thereon. 
     
     
       20. The construction of claim  13  further comprising means for holding the opaque panel in the cover position after the reverse-printed indicia has been printed on the second panel. 
     
     
       21. A printed card construction, comprising: 
       a sheet construction having on a first face thereof a first portion and a second portion;  
       normal-orientation indicia printed on the first portion;  
       reverse-printed indicia on the second portion, the reverse-printed indicia being visible on an opposite second face of the second portion as normal oriented indicia; and  
       a blocking panel positionable in a cover position covering the reverse-printed indicia on the second portion.  
     
     
       22. The construction of claim  21  wherein the sheet construction includes a fold line separating the first and second portions. 
     
     
       23. The construction of claim  21  further comprising a pocket attached to the sheet construction and adapted to hold the blocking panel in the cover position. 
     
     
       24. The construction of claim  23  wherein the pocket includes a four-sided frame, three of whose sides are secured to the sheet construction, and a fourth of which defines an opening of the pocket, the frame encircling the reverse-printed indicia. 
     
     
       25. The construction of claim  21  wherein the blocking panel is a sheet of paper. 
     
     
       26. The construction of claim  21  wherein the second portion comprises a backlit film construction.